Where multicultural Australia comes together

Monthly Archives: July 2014

Community radio has been going on in Australia since the 1970s but it’s relatively new in the UK. Ethnic radio stations like 4EB have launched in the UK too. Wing Lau was hosting Chinese language radio programs on EAVA FM the UK and has recently come to Brisbane. She talks about coming here from Hong Kong via the UK and all about her radio program.

Natal talked to Samson Joseph, manager of the African Fashion Show, and two other fashion designers, Sarah Jackson and Gracy Orla Ticout.

Samson Joseph is South Sudanese born and fled his country to Egypt due the crisis in the Sudan. From Egypt, he moved to Australia in 2004 to pursue further studies and better life.

Samson’s love for interior designs, architecture and beautiful houses led to establishing his business: A + Fashion.

This year’s African Fashion show was huge; it featured four different designers showcasing their dresses, three dance groups and four music performances.

Fashion designer Sarah Jackson, also from South Sudan, moved to Australia in 2005 to pursue further education and focus on design.

Sarah says she is studying fashion design at MSIT College and hopes to get her company label more recognized in the near future.

Gracy Orla Ticout moved to Australia from France in 2010 to study Hospitality Management.

She created her fashion line, ‘Orla Dee’ to present African design and to see the African princes to blossom in the African community and mainstream Australian society. She also works in one of Brisbane’s best restaurants.

Rapper, poet and speaker Omar Musa is releasing a new novel later this month.

Here Come the Dogs follows the lives of three friends from different ethnic backgrounds living in a small town in Australia.

This is Omar’s first fictional novel, following his two poetry books Parang and The Clocks.

Omar’s writing is drawn from his experiences in his own life: his Malaysian background, and the block of flats in the multicultural neighbourhood he grew up in, within his small hometown of Queanbeyan in regional Australia.

He is an award-winning slam poet and has collaborated with hip hop artists around the world. You might have seen him perform Slam Poetry from the Streets at TED Talks Sydney, where he received a standing ovation from the audience.

Omar chatted to us about writing Here Come the Dogs, the culture of a small town and the changing, multicultural face of Australian poetry.

Where are you From? is going on hiatus – because producer Ellie Freeman is going to where she’s from.

WAYF producer Ellie hanging out in the Trick Eye Museum in Seoul

After asking people all over Australia where they’re from, it was time for Natal and May to turn the tables on Where are You From? producer Ellie Freeman. Ellie is an international adoptee – born in South Korea and adopted to Australia.

Natal and May wanted to know where Ellie was from, how she came up with the idea for Where are you From?, and her upcoming adventure back to where she was born.

Azlan Petra has made fighting against racism his career, working with asylum seekers, humanitarian groups and communities around the world. He’s currently working to address racial profiling in Victoria – which you may remember us talking about way back last year with Maki Issa, one of the African men involved in the civil case against Victoria Police. In his spare time, Azlan occasionally blogs and tweets for our friends The Two Chairs, an anti-racism online project.

Botoka Motsumi is a migrant from Botswana who moved to Australia in 2003. He studied to become a high school teacher, and now runs the Ministry of Entertainment.

Botoka graduated with a double degree in Arts and Teaching from the University of New England. Now he’s a high school teacher and giving a helping hand with education in Brisbane, running the Ministry of Entertainment here and in the town of Inverell in New South WAles.

The Ministry of Entertainment is about reviving people using all kinds of entertainment like spelling, quizzes, motivational speaking and sports. Inspired by communal village living from his upbringing in Botswana, Botoka is hoping to help people

Botoka talks about his passion for bringing people together to live communally, to share experiences and have fun.

We’re currently in the middle of the Holy month of Ramadan. During this month, millions of Muslims around the world fast from sunrise to sunset and observe the tenets of Islam.

A few months ago, the Islamic Museum of Australia opened in Victoria. As well as displaying art and artefacts, the museum also displays stories about the first Muslims in Australia, who started visiting before European settlers.

Islamic Museum of Australia director Sherene Hassan chatted to us about how the museum has been changing minds, dispelling misconceptions and educating the public about Islam. She also talks about her own experiences celebrating Ramadan growing up in Australia – from primary school to her work and family life.